Rutherford Castle closes its doors

• Another Scottish golf club goes to the wall• Rutherford Castle had been open since 1998• Becomes the second Scots club to close in a fortnight

RUTHERFORD CASTLE

Less than a fortnight after Castle Park closed its doors for the final time, another Scottish golf club has lost its fight for survival.

bunkered.co.uk has learned that Rutherford Castle GC, just south of Edinburgh, is no longer in business.

It is the fourth club in the broad vicinity of the capital to go in the last 18 months following Castle Park, Lothianburn and Torphin Hill and, at the time it closed, it reportedly had only 56 members.

Opened in 1998 during the course construction boom at the end of 20th century, Rutherford Castle was built by Henry Wallace, who had farmed the land for 15 years before deciding to ‘fulfil his dream of having a golf course in his back garden’.

Following Wallace’s death in 1999, his family continued to run the club before selling it to property developer Manor Kingdom in 2003.

In August 2008, the company revealed plans to upgrade the facilities at Rutherford Castle and turn it into the ‘first truly world class, luxurious 5 star hotel and conference facility befitting the magnificent scenery of the Scottish Borders in West Linton.

“We hope and anticipate that former members at Rutherford Castle find the right membership for them at a local club nearby, with various memberships at a number of courses available.

It is also bunkered.co.uk’s understanding that, despite two high-profile closures in the first six weeks of the year, no other golf clubs are believed to be in immediate danger of going out of business.

Rutherford Castle :: Your reactions

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